幼鱼在群体中游得更快更稳定

A recent study provides new evidence that larvae ¹ swim faster, straighter and more consistently in a common direction when together in a group. The research led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine ² and Atmospheric ³ Science is the first to observe group orientation ⁴ behaviors of larval fish. The research team compared the movements of both individuals and groups of 10-12 in a species of damselfish, Chromis atripectoralis, in their natural environment off Lizard ⁵ Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Larvae were observed by divers ⁶ and by using a drifting image recording ⁷ device, called the DISC (Drifting In Situ Chamber), developed by Paris., ,The results revealed that groups swam on a 15 percent straighter course and seven percent faster than individuals. "In addition, our observations suggest that group orientation emerges from simple group dynamics ⁸ rather than from the presence of more skillful leaders," said UM Rosenstiel School Associate Professor Claire Paris. This implies that the results could apply to a wide range of organisms, or even automated ⁹ navigation systems, without requiring strong cognitive ¹⁰ skills., ,Schooling ¹¹ behavior in adult fish is thought to be beneficial to reduce predation and to better detect food. This is the first study to report group orientation behaviors during a fish's larval stage, prior to settlement on to a reef., ,Paris' research team plans to conduct future studies to better understand the mechanisms ¹² involved in group orientation and determine if fish larvae stay in groups as soon as they hatch., ,The study, titled "With a Little Help from my Friends: Group Orientation by Coral Reef Fish Larvae," was published in the Dec. 1, 2015 issue of the journal PLOS ONE. The study's authors include: Irisson and Paris of the UM Rosenstiel School; Jeffrey Leis and Michelle Yerman of the Australian Museum Research Institute. The study was funded by a OTIC grant from the National Science Foundation.